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INS 2016 Exhibit Hall Experience

Another INS Annual Meeting done and dusted for 2016. Each year, I look forward to the exhibit hall hours and I consider it as one of the highlights of the Annual meeting. I am very grateful to all the vendors who were there and were always willing to educate us on their products. This helps us contribute greatly to patient care and safety.

Photo from INS website

This post will feature new products. But first, here’s my disclaimer – there were many different infusion and vascular access products represented at the exhibit hall. As the owner of this blog, I reserve the right to point out the ones that caught my attention. For disclosure purposes, I was not paid to write this post and have no consulting relationship with these companies, nor am I endorsing the products. This is my blog, my opinions and not of the Infusion Nurses Society and is just FYI.

With that said, let’s begin.

DripASSIST Infusion Rate Monitor: an innovative device that allows the fast, easy set-up of gravity infusion with the efficiency that comes with continuous monitoring. It is not a pump but a simple monitor that counts every drop with 99% accuracy. No calibration, minimal training and runs off a single AA battery.

Photo from DripAssist.com

We all know that counting drops for gravity infusion isn’t accurate – too many variables, one of which is the way nurses count drops when using a gravity drip administration set. Some nurses were taught to count drops for a full minute, others count drops for 15 seconds. Some nurses don’t even count drops at all, they can’t be bothered so they just eyeball the drops and walks away. Imagine how tedious counting drops is when the IV product requires rate escalation!! How about those infusion centers/clinics where multiple simultaneous patient infusions are administered by one nurse without an infusion pump?

This is where this product is useful. DripASSIST automatically counts and calculate the drip rate as you adjust the roller clamp.It deliver infusions within 5% of target rate and volume. Once rate is set, you can easily check drip by glancing at the screen. It monitors drip rate continuously throughout infusion. If rate changes for any reason, you will be alerted with an audiovisual alarm.

2. The Dual Cap System:Disinfection and Protection – two caps designed to disinfect and protect both needle free valves and male luer connectors, helping prevent intraluminal contamination and device cross-contamination. When left in place for 30 seconds, the disinfecting cap disinfect the needle free valve and the male luer connector and provide a physical barrier to contamination up to 7 days under normal conditions if not removed.

Photos from Dualcap.com

The coolest thing I learned about Dual caps? It was designed by two infusion nurses!! YAY! (no, not this infusion nurse! Credit to Jim Mercer and Micheal Howlett)

3. Therasafe Therapuetic Phlebotomy Sets: Therasafe utilizes a passive needle protective device (SAFETOUCH II) which is activated prior to needle removal, eliminating the exposure of the needle to both the patient and the clinician. The reflux valve in the TheraSafe collection bag offers enhanced patient safety by eliminating any associated risk of air being transferred up the patient’s access line. Additionally, TheraSafe incorporates a new built –in split septum neutral valve for either sampling or reinfusion. The TheraSafe bag can be conveniently placed on a custom stand to establish an easy visual of the collection volume during the entire procedure. This eliminates staff holding the bag or laying the bag on the ground, and our stand improves the aesthetic method of supporting the bag.

Disclaimer: While there were many different infusion and vascular access products represented at the exhibit hall, as the owner of this blog, I reserve the right to point out the ones that caught my attention. For disclosure purposes, I was not paid to write this post and have no consulting relationship with these companies, nor am I endorsing the products. This is my blog, my opinions and not of the Infusion Nurses Society and is just FYI.